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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cue — for pool
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pop — to visit
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cue — a hint
  18. perch — the fish
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pop — soda
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rush — hurry
  24. squash — the sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com